Queen Wilhelmina

Soon after the bombing of Rotterdam, Netherland's queen fled to England for safety.

Published May 14, 1940. New York Times.

May 14, 1940. New York Times.

Queen Wilhelmina and her family were evacuated on HMS Hereward to the United Kingdom three days after the invasion.

"The next terrible news we got was that our queen and all of the government officials had left the Netherlands and gone to England. I cannot express how horrible that makes us feel. I heard it on the radio: 'The queen has left for England.' Our queen! It was an awful moment because it was as if our mother had left us behind for the Germans." -Diet Eman, (Things We Couldn't Say)

"Wilhelmina endeared herself to her people in World War II when her broadcast from London brought hope and encouragement to her oppressed subjects." (A Brief History of the Netherlands)

"Radio Oranje"

"What is at stake is this war is the liberty of those all over the world over who wish to work for the good of mankind to do so without being frustrated by the evildoers." -Queen Wilhelmina. Source: IS History

From London, Queen Wilhelmina delivered 48 speeches to the Netherlands during the occupation. The broadcasts were known as "Radio Oranje" and were said to be an encouragement to the Dutch.

Queen Wilhelmina would become the symbol of Dutch resistance and perseverance during the War. She spoke on the radio [Radio Orange] from London on a regular basis, which was more of a moral boost to the supressed Dutch people in the Netherlands than she realized. Source: War Over Holland: May 19; The Dutch Struggle